(04-06-2022, 05:08 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Round 1 (31): Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M

Signing three starting offensive linemen created more options for the Bengals at 31, not fewer. In no way is the door closed on adding to the offensive line here, and the availability of Green — No. 24 on Brugler’s Top 100 prospects list — comes with too much potential to pass up. Available at 31 in each of the first seven simulators I ran, Green is the choice ahead of Boston College’s Zion Johnson, Brugler’s No. 26, due to his athleticism and run-blocking skills that make him a better fit in the Bengals’ scheme.

The additions of La’el Collins, Alex Cappa and Ted Karras took the O-line off the top line of the need list, but this harkens back to the “no donkeys” approach of finding someone at least average to play at every position. The coaches like what they have seen from Jackson Carman physically and believe he can win the starting job at left guard and be a strong piece of their improved line. But what if he doesn’t improve? Or what if he gets hurt? Or multiple guys in line to battle Carman for that job get hurt?

Too much is never enough when it comes to protecting Joe Burrow and capitalizing on what should be the final year of having a top-tier quarterback on a rookie deal.

Round 2 (63): Tariq Woolen, CB, Texas-San Antonio

Cornerbacks come in all shapes and sizes, and at 6-foot-4, Woolen would be the Bengals’ tallest by far, and his blazing 4.26 40-yard dash at the combine also would make him their fastest. He’s still a raw talent who didn’t face NFL-level receivers in college, but one of the reasons the Bengals brought in new cornerbacks coach Chuck Burks was to focus on development. The team re-signed Eli Apple with the idea of him being their fourth corner or a temporary starter if a rookie draft pick is slow to come along. There won’t be any pressure to rush Woolen, but with his skill set, 10 returning starters around him and NFL-level coaching, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see him win the race to Week 1 starter.

Round 3 (95): Verone McKinley III, S, Oregon

With it looking increasingly more possible that 2022 will be Jessie Bates’ final season in Cincinnati and Vonn Bell’s contract expiring at the end of the year as well, safety is the team’s No. 1 need when it comes to succession planning. McKinley had 10 interceptions in his two full seasons at Oregon, and some of the knocks on him are similar to the ones Bates heard coming out of Wake Forest — needs more meat on his bones, only played two years, etc. But both players have rare instincts. Finding a Bates replacement may force the Bengals to target someone earlier, but if you look at the top-11-paid safeties in the league, six were drafted in the third round or later.

Round 4 (136): Matthew Butler, DT, Tennessee

Drafting a defensive lineman in the fourth round is one of the Bengals’ go-to moves, and even with it being a much bigger need this year, they still can be patient enough to pounce on Day 3 value given the depth of the class. Butler played five seasons for the Volunteers and more than doubled his previous highs in sacks (five) and tackles for loss (8.5) in 2021. He’s athletic for his size and played one of his best games against Alabama’s elite offensive line. He would be a great pairing with B.J. Hill on passing downs and by next year could be ready to compete with Hill for the starting job.

Round 5 (174): Khalil Shakir, WR, Boise State

Paul went with Shakir with this pick as well, and for good reason. Shakir projects as a slot receiver who could really be a weapon and moved all over the field in an offense with multiple other weapons and a creative play caller. He also checks the character and experience boxes the Bengals love, with 208 catches, 2,878 yards and 20 touchdowns in four seasons at Boise State. Throw in his skills as a returner, and this feels like the most perfect pairing in this whole exercise, so much so that I nearly turned in the card for him in the fourth round.

Round 6 (209): Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin

The addition of Hayden Hurst and the depth of this year’s tight end class give the position less urgency. Maybe the Bengals don’t find their tight end of the future this late in the draft, but they certainly can add a quality piece to back up Hurst and Drew Sample. Ferguson was a four-year starter for the Badgers and voted first-team All-Big Ten in 2021 with 46 catches for 450 yards and three touchdowns. Hailing from a football family as the grandson of former Wisconsin coach and athletic director Barry Alvarez, Ferguson is a quality receiver who will have time to work on his blocking skills on special teams.

Round 7 (226): Zach Carter, DT, Florida

Carter is another duplicate from the Dehner draft — although a round earlier — but again, he makes too much sense. At 6-4, 282 pounds, Carter might be too short to play edge and too light to play 3-technique, but there are no questions about his strength or toughness, and he showed consistent improvement during his time at Florida. Carter can always add weight to become a true 3-technique, which is the biggest need in Marion Hobby’s room, the Bengals could use depth all along the defensive line. So Carter could be an attractive pick to get him in and work with him to see where he fits best.

Round 7 (252): Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami

The Bengals have targeted defense with their final pick of the draft since head coach Zac Taylor arrived, but they have a history of taking late flyers on receivers — Auden Tate, Cody Core, James Wright, to name a few recently — and rolling the dice on Rambo would be a solid insurance policy against the unlikelihood they make it through another full season with their top three receivers mostly unscathed. After transferring from Oklahoma to Miami in 2021, Rambo had 79 catches for 1,172 yards and seven touchdowns.